Officer Edward Norton received a commendation on Monday from Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis and a proclamation from the mayor.

Norton didn’t hesitate Friday. He threw off his police jacket; unbuckled his gun belt; took off his shoes and jumped 20 feet into 40-degree water.

"There wasn’t much of a process." Norton said. "It just kind of happened. She was out there screaming for help. We can’t just stand there and watch her drown."

At least one person on the bridge took video of Norton jumping over a 4-foot high railing to get into the water. The Boston officer forgot to take off his bulletproof vest, which started to weigh him down during the swim. A second officer threw him a life ring.

"As I was in the air I was thinking, I don’t know what’s under the water here, if there are any old poles or something under the water," said Norton.

He said he had so much adrenaline pumping through his system he couldn’t feel how cold the water was as hypothermia began to affect him.

"I don’t remember feeling anything," Norton said.

The rescue swim took 38 strokes. He made it to the woman in 42 seconds.

He lost his glasses when he plunged into the harbor. The wedding ring his wife put on this finger two years ago fell off and sank. But he made it to the woman and convinced her to hang on until a police boat arrived to help.

His temperature dropped to 90 degrees by the time he reached an ambulance. He and the woman were treated for hypothermia.

Norton’s actions are being called heroic.

"I feel like I did what I would expect someone else to do for one of my loved ones," said Norton.